


About last night

by orphan_account



Category: Black Panther (2018), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Love Confessions, One-Shot, Tumblr Prompt, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2020-01-06 22:17:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18397448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Her scientist brain is shouting the most nonsensical excuses to her. Sorry I kissed you, Buck. I was drunk. No big deal. Yeah I kissed you but don’t worry man. It was just a dare. Who is she kidding ? Of fucking course she meant that kiss. It made her feel like a live wire and still does, from the way she could practically feel her lips buzzing at the memory.





	About last night

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a tumblr prompt given to me @wakandawinterprincess: "we need to talk about last night". Hope you enjoy !

 “We need to talk”, he grits.

Shuri hums noncommittally, keeping her back turned from him as she swiftly tidies her workplace. After sliding another tool in one of her drawers, she keeps still. Her mind runs to her impromptu visit to Bucky’s cabin. The memory stings somehow and she has to take a sharp inhale of breath to drown her uneasiness. Once she thinks she’s got her expression schooled into feigned neutrality, she finally turns to face him. She’s put the confrontation away long enough, sold him excuses about being too busy when he arrived two hours ago.

He’s seated on a chair opposite her, and she bites the inside of her cheeks when her stomach knots at the sight of him. Shuri doesn’t know exactly when it happened, this shift in their relationship. Bucky has been her project first and foremost before becoming one of her best friends but these past months, he’s become so much more. He is not much for small talk so he’s usually the quiet one in a room but still, every time he’s in her presence, Shuri feels like he takes the entire space and breathing becomes a much more difficult exercise.

She shrugs exaggeratedly and assumes a casual pose, propping up on her desk.

“Do we ?”, she asks, putting on a tone of disbelief.

Bucky sizes her up before crossing his arms over his chest. He does it every time to signify he means business and is not buying into her bullshit and without fail, Shuri’s gaze lingers on the way his black shirt stretch over his broad shoulders and chest. If he catches her ogling, he doesn’t mention it.

“Yeah, Princess. We really do.”

 _Princess_. Not sweetheart. Not sugar-pie. Yeah, Shuri is in trouble. With a huff, she darts her eyes to glass walls, pondering what to say next. Because she fled yesterday, her tail between her legs. All she wanted to do was bring him some pineapple wine and a poetry book she borrowed from him. It wasn’t the first time Shuri’s made surprise visits before. It was certainly the first time it ended in her straddling him and stealing a kiss after one of their infamous tickling battles. She’s found long ago the supersoldier had the most _adorable_ weakness and she’s quite addicted to hearing him giggle.

“About _what_?”, Shuri asks, grasping on straws of naivety.

Bucky’s expression turns somber then and he stands from his seat. Shuri stares at the furniture’s metallic accents to avoid the ones from his eyes. He keeps drawing near, until the space left between then feels both too much and not enough and she has to crane her neck back to look at him.

“We need to talk about what happened last night”, he says, voice ragged.

Shuri swallows down the golf ball lodged in her throat.

“I don’t understand”, she lies.

It would be wiser to admit the truth but Shuri keeps digging her grave. Her scientist brain is shouting the most nonsensical excuses to her. _Sorry I kissed you, Buck. I was drunk._ _No big deal._ _Yeah I kissed you but don’t worry man. It was just a dare_. Who is she kidding ? Of fucking course she meant that kiss. It made her feel like a live wire and still does, from the way she could practically feel her lips buzzing at the memory.

Bucky takes another step forward and soon, the edge of his shoes are touching hers. For once, Shuri regrets working so late in the lab that the whole staff on this floor has been relieved from their duties and the Doras are located one floor below.

His lips twist in a frown before he finally voices the inevitable.“Yesterday. You _kissed_ me.”

After gulping down her panic, Shuri lifts her chin.

“Oh. _That_?”, she makes a dismissive gesture of the hand before needlessly ironing her sheath white dress. “Bucky. We were-I was...Look. I had a four hour travel and coming to yours instead of the Palace wasn’t probably my best idea. Add some pineapple wine to exhaustion and-yeah ! Sorry for making you uncomfortable and-”

She’s not ready for the way his gaze hardens. It stops her in her tracks.

“Bucky ?”

“So It doesn’t count ?”, he asks in a suspicious tone, articulating each word like mediocre food he’s reluctant to chew.

Shuri wants to scream it does. _It does count_. But she’s not ready to put a feeling on whatever she feels for him right now. It’s too scary, too risky. So she nods and crosses her arms.

“Whatever. Can we just avoid talking about it and move on ? It won’t happen again so let’s just forget the whole thing. I’m really sorry I overstepped my boundaries.”, she grits, looking away for the umpteenth time.

“No.”

That makes her eyes widen and the cross of her arms loosen under the surprise. In three years of knowing him, Bucky has been nothing but loyal and compliant to her. As far as she remembers, he can barely refuses her anything. Now, his tone sounds irrevocable and the little streak of rebellion sparks a flutter in her guts.

“No ?”

“ _No._ ”

Shuri releases a stuttering breath. “ _Why_ ?”

A metal arm reaches and grab her wrist then and she can’t help but lower her eyes to the sleek vibranium. His thumb and forefinger are enough to circle her wrist. Once again, the evidence of their size difference brings flush to her ears. She’s sure he can feel her pulse jumping there.

“I don’t want to forget about it, Shuri”, he confesses, voice turned husky. His thumb keeps caressing the inside of her wrist and her breathing grows more labored. “And I couldn’t even if I tried”, he adds with a dark, self-depreciating chuckle.

Shuri finally dares to meet his eyes. They twinkle with a myriad of emotions. Fear. Trepidation. Longing.

“Do _you_ want to forget ?”, he asks, craning his neck back, fingers slowly releasing their hold on her wrist. Her hand rushing to clutch his fingers at the distance brings a slight grin to his handsome face. Shuri’s throat feels so dry, like she’s ingested some kind of sand or she’s incredibly thirsty. She shakes her head in a frantic way.

“No. No I don’t”, she nearly whimpers.

 

* * *

 

She begs him silently for everything he has to give, gaze making a back and forth between his lips and silver blue eyes. His only answer is an indulgent smile and a knead of her hip from his flesh hand.

“I won’t do anything you don’t want me to, love”

Resisting the urge to stomp her foot and tug his hair to bring his mouth down to hers, she inhales a sharp breath.

“ _Kiss me_ ”, she commands. It sounds more like a beg than anything else, though she’ put every bit of the longing and ache she felt for him these last few weeks. Bucky only keeps studying her.

He searches for something on her face. Trust, desire, confidence, maybe even some fear. Whatever he sees doesn’t stop him from wrapping a knotted arm around her waist and leaning in. She sighs in relief before his lips even touch hers in a soothing, reverent kiss. This still drags a low moan from her throat that emboldens him enough to flicker his tongue, begging for entrance to her mouth. She parts open for him while her hands reach up and dig into his shoulders. His own slide down her hips to the hem of her dress and her breath hitches when the pressure of his metal hand meets with skin, setting her nerves on fire. His mouth falls to her chin then her neck and Shuri keens for him, wanton and greedy, legs spreading subconsciously to invite him closer. Their little touch of lips the night before has nothing on this.

“ _Please_ ”, she begs in between pecks.

She doesn’t want him to stop so she clutches a handful of chocolate locks to deepen their kiss. Her enthusiasm makes up for her lack of experience, so much that he has to cradle her neck to keep her from devouring him. He breaks the kiss with a growl and she whines, eyes fluttering open, cheeks buzzing from the friction of his beard.

“We need to slow down”, he whispers, voice thick with desire. Shuri doesn’t want to, for fear of losing the courage she just found earlier. If they stop now, her mind won’t stop torturing her with doubt and insecurity. They can’t stop. She wants him. He wants her. The evidence of his desire even sits against her belly. The equation is simple enough. Why stop ?

Shuri shakes her head before cupping his face and her heart skips a beat when he pushes his cheek against her palm. Words sit heavy on her tongue but she doesn’t want to say them. Too risky. Too dangerous.

“Please, Bucky”, she whines as she pushes against him. The delicious friction of her against his crotch makes his nostrils flare while he tries to regain his composure. He tightens his hold on her hips when she tries to do it again.

“You’re a fucking menace”, he rasps, warm breath ghosting over her neck.

“I only need you”

“I need you too, love. So fucking much. But I need you to think clear about this. Do you really want someone to find us hooking up inside your lab ?”

There’s a hint of amusement and mischief in his tone, as well as concern. An invitation and a warning all at once. Shuri stops trying to twist in his grasp and sighs in annoyance, digging her heel into his backside. She sighs in defeat while finally loosening her hold on him.

“You’re no fun, Bucky !”

That’s when she hears it. This delightful giggle of his that makes her chest swell and knees weak. She let herself be pulled on her feet and into a warm hug. When she looks up to catch his gaze, his eyes still shine with mirth though the laughing has dissolved. He licks his lips when he focuses on her mouth. Shuri wants to eat him alive, she’s sure. Right now.

“Don’t worry, your Highness. I have plenty of _fun_ in store for you”, he says before kissing her forehead.

It’s taken them a long time to get there but this flirty, almost cocky side of James Buchanan Barnes is slightly overwhelming to Shuri. Sure, she’s seen him display that charm on women and men alike plenty of times this past year, especially when monitoring his missions with the Hatut Zeraze, but she’s never had it directed to her so shamelessly. This makes her even more touchy-feely and she can’t help but bury her nose in his chest.

His voice sounds more stern when he sobers, grabbing her shoulders to have her look back at him with some distance.

“Before this gets any further, I need to know”

She hums to encourage him and he averts his eyes before looking at her again.

“ _What are we_ , Shuri ?”

She runs her tongue over her dry lips and he can’t help but lift his thumb to caress the curve of her lower lip.

“What are we ?”, she repeats, heart threatening to beat out of her ribcage. He nods slowly. She really didn’t expect him to be so direct, asking the same interrogation she’s been torturing herself with. What are they ? More than friends, for sure. Almost lovers, most likely. To call Bucky her boyfriend would be an insult to the depth of their relationship. For so long, she’s considered him off-limits, thought he only saw her as the kid who saved him. Also, she’s a princess and he’s an outsider, no matter how much he holds Wakanda dear to his heart today. Thinking about their future brings her a gust of anxiety and she shudders. After silence settles and becomes more uncomfortable, she simply huffs.

She frees herself from his embrace to stand by a floor to ceiling window. Focuses on the vibrant murals that frame it, the clattering of the rain and the rugged landscapes surrounding Mount Bashenga behind the glass. Even the faint, steady buzzing of the heating system comes to her ears when she focuses enough. Shuri faces him again then, arms crossed over her chest.

“Do we really have to put a label on this ?”, she protests weakly.

His jaw clenches but he still answers her as softly as he can: “Yes. I’d like to think It’s not a phase or a one time thing. I _can’t_ do casual, Shuri. Not with you.”

“What do you want it to be then ?”, she asks with a shaky breath.

In a few, slow steps, he joins her side and his flesh hand heats up her arms in soothing motions.

“If I could have my way, we’ll get a forever.”

 _Bast alive_. Her eyes fog in spite of herself and she has to look away once again to keep from crying. It’s too fucking much. When he makes a move to comfort her, she steps backwards and lifts her chin.

"Smooth", she quips to divert his attention from how overwhelmed she is with his confession, “And I have a feeling you thought long and hard about this."

“I did.”

“Dating me won’t be easy, Bucky.”

“I know.”

“The people you consider your friends might just turn on you once they learn about us. This could get really ugly.”

“I know, love. But I’m ready.”

Her chest pangs when she considers him. Her ingcuka. She shakes her head, tears threatening to spill. “You’re crazy.”

Bucky doesn’t reply right away this time and straightens both arms for her to take.

“You’re worth it”, he shrugs in a parody of nonchalance. Shuri lets out a breathy laugh. Their next kiss tastes like salt and rain-forest combined. He cradles the back of her neck to pull their foreheads together when their lips break apart. She drinks in his warmth, the smell of gun oil and fresh grass, her body thrumming with anticipation and desire.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. You're welcome to feed the gremlin writer a comment if you're in the mood. I live for those <3


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